Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a balisong 'traditional'?

Sandwich construction — the handle is built from layered pieces around a frame rather than milled from a solid billet — with hand-fitted natural inserts and a latch that seats with a click. It is how Batangas makers have built balisongs for generations, and it is slower and more manual than modern channel construction.

What is the difference between the Pandayan, Batangas and Visayan patterns?

Pandayan (from the Tagalog word for a smithy) runs heavier bolsters and a fuller handle. The Batangas pattern is the classic proportion most people picture — the 29 cm veinte y nueve. Visayan-pattern knives, from the central islands, carry a slightly narrower handle and more blade belly.

Are these knives actually made in the Philippines?

Yes. Every knife in this collection is hand-forged in the Philippines on the traditional patterns, by smiths working the same methods the originals were built with. That is the entire point of this collection — these are the real article, not a modern reinterpretation.